Patients affected by stroke and other brain injury diseases develop cognitive impairments, such as memory loss or depression. Traditionally, therapy is done one-on-one with a psychologist (for cognitive therapy) and a physical and occupational therapist (for physical or occupational rehabilitation), requiring the disabled to travel to several offices or clinics. Since these patients are affected by motor impairments (difficulty moving limbs) travel to clinics/offices is difficult and costly.
However, since it is a single human body, and a single brain, certain interactions occur, with physical activity having a positive influence on cognition and well being (due to brain plasticity and the proximity of control regions in the brain) and vice versa. It is known in the art, for example that motor imagery (imagining motion of the affected limb) actually helps recovery of function for that limb. It is also known that physical activity, such as walking, helps delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.
Accordingly, new and improved methods and apparatus to provide cognitive and physical/occupational therapy, combined and simultaneously, particularly to patients suffering strokes, traumatic brain injury or brain diseases, are needed.